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Shore Leads By Example

by
Jordan Littlejohn
/ Florida Panthers

Forward Drew Shore led the Denver Pioneers in points and in the locker room as he was the team's captain his Junior year. (University of Denver)

Anyone who has played hockey knows that it takes up a lot of time. Not only does it occupy a lot of the players’ time, but it can be a full time job in itself for their parents as well, especially at an early age.

Drew Shore is prime example of a hockey player whose parents dedicated their lives to their child’s success in the sport. Not only has Drew played for most of his life, but his three brothers Nick, Quentin, and Baker play as well.

The NHL ranks have already started calling on the Shores. Drew, 21, was drafted by the Panthers in the second round of the 2009 draft. Nick, 19, was drafted by the LA Kings in 2011 as a third round pick. Quentin, 18, has committed to Denver University and is eligible for the 2013 NHL Draft.

“Neither of my parents played hockey or knew a lot about the sport, but when I started playing they were very supportive of my brothers and I,” said the center who recorded 22 goals with 31 assists in his junior season with Denver. “So for all of the hard work they put in, I couldn’t have asked for better parents.”

All three of the Shore brothers’ committed to the University of Denver right out of high school, which has been their dream as far back as they can remember. Drew attended all of the University of Denver games growing up, and being able to play for them was an honor.

“When I was growing up, the University of Denver won their back to back championships. You obviously want to win, so their program was something I definitely wanted to be a part of, said Shore. “Even though we didn’t win, it was a great experience and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

In 2011 Drew and Nick played against their younger brother Quentin, who played for the U.S. National Development Program’s 18-under team at the time. This faceoff was very fun for the Shore brothers and extremely rewarding for their parents as well.

“It was just an expedition game, so we were able to have a lot of fun with them,” said the eldest Shore. “Quentin played really well, so Nick and I were proud of him.”

In 2012, Shore was given the opportunity to leave the University of Denver and start playing at the professional level for the San Antonio Rampage. It was a difficult decision for him to leave the University after his third year there because he wanted to stay with his brothers.

“They’re definitely my two best friends, but at the same time I realized that I have put in a lot of work the past 16 years playing hockey so I was definitely ready for the next step,” said Shore who recorded three points in eight regular season games with the Rampage and then two goals in nine playoff games.

Although it was hard for Nick and Quentin to watch Drew progress to the next level, they saw how hard he worked and were happy for their older brother.

Drew Shore tied 54th on the Pioneers all time scoring list. He believes that his hockey sense helps him offensively to be able to set up drives and get in the position where he can score, which will make him a successful NHL player in the near future. That all starts with his first full season as a pro.